Mormo

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In Greek mythology, Mormo was a spirit who bit bad children, said to have been a companion of the goddess Hecate. The name was also used to signify a female vampire-like creature in stories told to Greek children by their nurses to keep them from misbehaving. This reference is primarily found in some of the Plays of Aristophanes.

Aristophanes, Archanians 582 ff : "Your terrifying armor makes me dizzy. I beg you, take away that Mormo (bogy-monster)!"

Aristophanes, Peace 474 ff : "This is terrible! You are in the way, sitting there. We have no use for your Mormo's (bogy-like) head, friend."

According to Anton LaVey, in The Satanic Bible, Mormo is the, "King of the Ghouls, consort of Hecate."


[edit] Modern references

Joanna Scanlan plays Mormo, a witch with blue magic who lives with her sisters Lamia {Michelle Pfeiffer} and Empusa {Sarah Alexander} in the movie Stardust {2007}. When Mormo is dueling Tristan {Charlie Cox}, he opens a cage of ferrets, used for sacrifice, who distract Mormo while Tristan slashes open a cage full of sacrificing wovles, who maul her to death out of revenge for killing their friends and relatives .

There is also a description of these beings in a website devoted to classical information on the Greek Gods http://www.theoi.com/


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